What's the value in doing this anonymously?

I think doing it anonymously could be a little creepy. But doing it non-anonymously would on the other hand be nice!

@Philip Kendall I’m not sure if it’s a social anxiety thing or if it’s a confidence issue, but if I had it my way, I wouldn’t leave my mark or make myself known to anyone. In fact, I find myself wishing I could exist as a mere speck of light at times. I want to brighten others’ days, but the idea of making it known that I’m the one doing it makes me nauseous. I guess that’s a personal problem. The anonymous aspect was really more for me and my mental issues than anything else. It may hold no value for anyone else, but it’s a weight off of my shoulders for me.

Why the downvote? The question might be peculiar, but it does address a workplace issue

@Popiko123, When was the last time you gave a compliment for someone's work? Or when was the last time you thanked someone? Does either of those activities make you nauseous too? Usually, people crave specific positive feedback, not generic well wishes that could apply to anyone.

Have you considered what you will do if people make a concerted effort to figure out the source of the notes? Perhaps just because it's a puzzle to solve I can see people gathering data on when the notes appeared and trying to determine who could have left them. You may be outright asked if it was you. From the tone of your question I get the impression that would make you uncomfortable.

Yes, Pennywise, this is creepy. And please do not fold them into little paper boats. Ok, just kidding - but perhaps it gets you an idea what type of impression this can elicit.

Assuming a) you've worked with them and b) you're not their manager, you could approach their line manager with feedback & ask that it remain anonymous — often somewhat larger companies already have these types of systems in place e.g. for annual reviews. You'd need to trust that the manager would keep it anonymous but it could be a less unusual route to take if this is an established practice.

Actually you should know best? I have been working at places where this would be totally normal and people would be happy about it. I have been working at places where (fun/immature) pranks (like taping the laser on the mouse) were totally normal and everyone had fun. Even Nerf fights were happening. Now I am working in a place where even an "innappropiate" joke is frowned upon. Be it a fart joke or something alike. People here dont even have a chat about their lifes. In this envirenmont notes l like this would 100% backfire

I actually talk to everyone all the time and give them compliments often enough to know that the compliment itself isn’t what bothers me—it’s the silence that comes after. I know it’s something I just need to get over, though. I work at a small store where everyone is very friendly with each other, so notes probably wouldn’t be a big deal, but if the general consensus is that it’s weird or even creepy, then it’s best to just not do it. I can bear strong nausea if it means avoiding the horrible situation @Eric Nolan posed. That being said, there is not an anonymous system in place already.

"I was worried that it would be really weird" -- this, whether note is long or short.

If you want to semi-anonymously brighten people's days, have you considered online forums? On Reddit, for example, there are at least one or two subreddits dedicated to words of encouragement, and comments with such words are generally also welcome on most other subreddits. There is also at least one subreddit (and probably plenty of other places) to find penpals.

@Bernhard Baker I’m sure it is something to that extent, and I probably do need to see a therapist about it. I’ve actually thought about that for years, but something keeps holding me back from doing it. I called all the clinics around town once before, but they weren’t accepting new patients, and I haven’t called since. Still, I actually have been thinking about online forums a lot. I think it’d be lovely to get into that scene, but again, something holds me back. It’s probably anxiety. I’ll look into it, at least.

If you don't mind everybody knowing that "you are the weirdo who leaves those 'anonymous' notes around the office", go right ahead. If you do something as peculiar as this, don't expect to remain anonymous for long.

Another option is to put a sign (whiteboard, etc.) on your own desk where you write inspirational things but other people can see it. Some people may think inspirational signs are silly or whatever, but if it's not directed at an individual it's unlikely to scare anyone or seriously offend them.